Mummies of Xinjiang and Backpacking in Upper Svaneti Region of Georgia

Preparations for the next trip were under way almost immediately upon my return to China from the US.  I spent the week cleaning and packing my clothing, purchasing new backpacking equipment, and double checking our itinerary.  

We flew out of Shenzhen Bao'An Airport on July 27th and landed in Urumqi close to midnight.  We took the airport shuttle to the Tianyuan Hotel and promptly went to sleep.  

With a 20hr 25min transfer we had a lot of time to spare in Urumqi.  We went to the Xinjiang Museum of History and afterward we got some delicious local cuisine.  Of all the Chinese food I have tasted in China, Xinjiang cuisine has the most character.  It is savory and spicy with a hint of sour.  Goat is a major ingredient.  I have tried Cantonese dim sum, Sichuan hot-pot, Harbin dumplings, and Hainan seafood and none of them compare in terms of flavor. 

The highlight of the Xinjiang history museum was these mummies which had been preserved by the arid climate. 

This goat based dish was absolutely delicious and it is a shame we could not finish.

I was promoted to hotel assistant manager. 

We flew out of Urumqi and on to Tbilisi at around 8pm on September 28th.

Faye snapped some photos of the mountains and dunes on our flight out. 

We landed in Tbilisi 5 hours later.  Since Georgia is 4 hours behind it was only 9:20pm.  

Regardless it took some time to go through immigration, baggage claim, currency exchange, and sim acquisition.  By the time we got the rental car it was about midnight. 

As we started the 8hr long drive to Mestia it began to rain. It continued to rain until we got out of Tbilisi City limits. It was challenging to drive in these conditions and I was anxious so I pulled over and got some gas.  Then waited a little while until the rain died down.  Then we were back on our way.   

The drive was mostly peaceful.  Once we were well outside of the city however we had a few things happen that rattled me.  When we first started to drive the winding roads leading to higher altitudes I had to slam on the breaks for what looked like a polar bear running out into the road.  When it barked in response to me honking the horn I realized it was not a polar bear but a very large dog. There were a few more encounters like this with dogs trying to chase the car.  At one point it began raining again, we stopped to pee beside the road, and there were two helpless kittens trying to get into our car.  It broke my heart that I could do nothing for them.  

 I drove until the sun came up.  Then we stopped for gas, a quick snack (which I dug out of my backpack), and a nap.  We planned to nap for an hour but were woken within 20 minutes by ambient noise so we continued on our route.  The break of dawn did not reduce the risks of driving in Georgia.  With the sun came the cows, and there were many. 

We were feeling hungry so decided to take a short detour to Zugdidi for MacDonald's (because it was the only place open at 8am).  When we got there we realized that only the drive through opened at 8am and we would need to wait until 9am to sit and eat.  I insisted we wait because I needed a break from driving and would likely need to use the toilet after the breakfast.  We walked around Zugdidi a little bit before our breakfast. 

Once I had a chance to eat and use the toilet (albeit with many interruptions from rude Georgian's banging on the bathroom door) we were back on our way.  We decided to take yet another short detour to see the Black Sea in Anaklia Beach.  It was worth the detour.  The sea was beautiful, the town had a post apocalyptic vibe with abandoned structures, and we got to see where the Patara Enguri River empties into the sea. 

Although we were both very tired, with full bellies and caffeine in our systems we were ready to keep going after only a short stop in Anaklia.  Our spirits were high and this sustained us through the rest of the journey.  

After a couple hours the route started winding up the mountain toward Mestia. 

As we drove up the switch-backed mountain road I ran over what looked like a large cow turd, but it was in fact a rock.  So I pulled over by a waterfall to check under the car and send a video to Hertz to assess the damage. 

When we confirmed that there was no damage, and that the dripping was just AC condensate, we continued on our way up the mountain.  The views were so stunning that we were tempted to stop every chance we got but since we had already been on the road for so long we refrained from this indulgence.  We knew that once we started the hike that our vision would be full of an abundance of vistas and a veritable feast for the eyes.  

When we finally arrived in Mestia we were so relieved to finally have a chance to rest. 

We pulled up and parked at the Old House Hotel and checked in before getting dinner at their restaurant. 

The Georgian food was scrumptious.  This was our first Georgian meal in Georgia.  We enjoyed a katchapuri (cheese pastry), lentil soup, some green olives, and bottle of semi-sweet local wine.  

The owner's adorable dog came to hang out with us while we ate.  He was encouraged by me giving him tiny pieces of cheese.  He was a big dopey sweet pea and he loved tummy rubs. 

We prepped for our hike and repacked our bags before calling it a night. 

Breakfast the next day was yummy and filling.  We ate our fill, paid the bill, left our keys with the hotel, and began our hike.  

The scenery was gorgeous.  Breathtaking snowcapped mountains, a lush mosaic of greenery and flowers, the roaring power of the river, and the aromas of mountain air and manure all melded together into a sensory orgasm.    

We met a couple from California.  Liam and Julia, whom we would frequently run into on the hike, were a college aged couple who were doing their first backpacking experience together.  They helped us take many of our pictures together.  

The hiking was slow going but we made good progress.  We stopped occasionally for breaks. 

We stopped briefly about 40 minutes away from our destination in Zhabeshi to have a Fanta.  

As we approached Zhabeshi Faye was introduced to her first ever apple tree.  

We stayed in the Zhabeshi Guesthouse Lali.  The owner, Lali, was a no-nonsense granny who went out of her way to be hospitable.  She prepared a fantastic dinner for us that night. 

The room was a bit sparse but it was comfortable and the view was splendid.

We enjoyed breakfast the next morning.  Then we got ready and started our hike toward Adishi. 

The second day of hiking was shorter than the previous day.  It involved a bit more of a climb but otherwise was pretty easy.  

I had realized that morning that we were quickly running out of cash.  All my research had indicated that I had prepared well enough.  Perhaps the articles I read were outdated because things were much more expensive than I initially thought.  The price of food was adding up and I was concerned that we would not have enough cash to finish the hike.  As these clouds formed in my mind, literal clouds also formed in the sky.  Within about 30 minutes of leaving the comfort of the guest house we found ourselves hiking in a light rain.  We donned our newly purchased rain coats and kept going.  

The storm was light and brief but it did involve a bit of thunder.  Once it had stopped raining we kept hiking before we stopped to remove the raincoats.  We spoke with a Hungarian couple who had also just gotten caught in the shower.  When I brought up the topic of how much cash they thought they needed they shared that a German couple, who had been hiking with them the day before, had returned to Mestia via taxi to withdrawal cash at an ATM.  This conversation reassured me that it would be possible to do this from our guest house in Adishi.  

We crossed paths again with the American couple we had met the day before.  We hiked with them for a while before they split off early to find their guest house.  

We arrived in Adishi at around 4pm and checked into the Lento Kaldani Guesthouse.

Once again we enjoyed a delicious dinner. 

After dinner the guesthouse owner drove me back to Mestia to withdrawal cash.  Due to a broken hand, he was driving a stick shift pickup one handed down winding mountain dirt roads as the sun was setting.   

The dude was great.  He bought me a coke and a snickers bar just because he was nice.  Although he was not very good at English he did his best to make conversation.  I was really glad he helped me out.  Sure it cost me for the ride, but I was able to take out plenty of cash to ensure we certainly had enough for the rest of the trip. 

When I got back Faye was already asleep.  I got ready for bed as quickly and quietly as possible and was asleep within a few minutes after my head hit the pillow.

On the morning of August 1st we had a quick breakfast.  We were in a bit of a hurry because we had a river to cross on horseback and the crossing was best handled in the morning.  We checked out and paid the bill and then continued our route.  This day would prove to be the most challenging day of the hike.  The distance was one thing, but the elevation gain was the real challenge. 

The horse crossing was easy.  The horses already new what to do. 

Following the river crossing we encountered an interesting natural phenomenon.  The two images that follow are of a ice arch.

We also saw some neat looking dew on these leaves. 

As our hike continued the scenery just got more and more picturesque as the glacier came into view. 

The Hungarian couple from the day before helped us take these pictures. 

We arrived in Iprali close to 6pm.  Our hike had taken almost 8hrs (with breaks).  We checked into the Betegi Guesthouse and enjoyed yet another toothsome dinner.  Dining with us were some Germans whom we very much enjoyed talking with. 

The next morning we ate breakfast and then checked out.  We were the last ones out of the guesthouse at 10:30.  

We had managed to leave consistently at 10am for the first three days of the hike.  Granted, I had wanted to leave at 9am each morning, but that did not pan out.  So it goes without saying that 10:30 was much later than I wanted to leave.  I tried not to make a fuss over it but we had a ride back to Mestia and a long drive after this last day of hiking, and I really had to push Faye to move her little butt faster. 

She did not appreciate how I was motivating her.  Eventually I convinced her to use her second hiking pole (up until that point she was only using one) and once she did she really picked up the pace. 

Since I focused so heavily on scenery photos during previous three days I decided to instead focus on flora and fauna for this last day of trail.  I was presented with so many awesome flowers, fungi, and critters to capture on camera.  Unfortunately, because we were in a bit of a hurry, or because the bugs moved too fast, I only got a few really good images. 

About 30 minutes before we arrived in Ushguli I wanted to stop and get in the water at this stream.  On google maps it is marked as "Stream Bath" but it was not very deep and I was only really able to sit down and splash some icy cold water on my aching back and shoulders. 

We made our final approach to Ushguli and the sense of accomplishment was strong.  We were relieved to be done.  I am proud of Faye for doing so well. 

We had seen where the Patari Engui River flows into the Black Sea and we saw where it started in the mountains. 

We got a quick snack and some drinks before catching a ride back to Mestia. 

With the hike finished we returned to Mestia via shared taxi van.  Then we retrieved our car, unloaded our gear, and got some dinner before saying goodbye to the Svaneti region.  

The 4-5 hour drive to Kutaisi was exhausting but we made it there safely.  We stayed the night in the Book Hotel.  Faye fell asleep without even getting under the blanket.

The next morning we woke up, had breakfast, checked out, and then drove about 18 min to Sataplia Nature Reserve.  

 

Sataplia, is named for the fact that it used to be a place where people came to collect honey.  Historically many bee colonies live in the cracks of the rocks but now, due to human activity, there are only two bee colonies left. 

Long before humans set foot in Sataplia, dinosaurs roamed the land and left their footprints. 

The area is quite lovely with forests, caves, and history. 

They capitalized on their dino tracks by adding an area that you can take pics with mechanical dinos. 

When we finished up at Sataplia Reserve we started the 3-4 hour drive back to Tbilisi airport to return the car and catch our flight back.

We stopped for a hot-dog on the way back.  While it wasn't the most amazing food we had eaten on this trip, it at least filled our bellies. 

Faye snapped a few photos in Tbilisi as well. 

We returned the car without issue.  Then we got a quick meal in the arrivals hall before going over to the departures hall.  Faye bought some prunes and I bought some wine in the duty free. 

We got back to Urumqi and had a 5 hour layover so I took a nap in a massage chair while Faye got some snacks. 

We flew back to Shenzhen, took a taxi home, sorted some things out, then went to bed. 

Faye had to work the next day but I had one more trip in me for the summer.  The details of my lazy trip to Bangkok will be in my next post.

This trip was amazing.  The food was delicious.  The views outstanding.  It was challenging and filled with new experiences.  It was my 4th backpacking trip and Faye's first.  It was her first time in Europe and her farthest trip from home.  It was her first time on a horse, first time seeing an apple tree, and first time being a passenger in a car with me.  We worked together and communicated well.  Our relationship grew stronger as a result.  Faye's worldly exposure has grown.  What is perhaps most rewarding is how this trip has inspired both of us to take on new challenges and face the world with the knowledge that we can do almost anything if we work together. 

Our next long distance backpacking trip will be on the Kumano Kodo in Japan.  That won't be until October so there will be small adventures in between.